


Heroes Don’t Look Like They Used To

by Jantique



Category: NCIS
Genre: Doing What Needs To Be Done, Everyday Life, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2014-05-07
Packaged: 2018-01-23 22:21:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1581539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jantique/pseuds/Jantique
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gibbs and Tony meet a man who needs help. Tony doesn’t see the solution. Gibbs shows him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heroes Don’t Look Like They Used To

All was quiet in the NCIS bullpen—a highly suspicious circumstance which no one trusted. Sure enough, Gibbs’ phone rang. He listened for a minute, hung up his phone and stood up. “Heads up! Dead Marine, alleyway in Arlington. DiNozzo, you’re with me.” Everyone hustled.

On the way, Gibbs stopped at a red light. A man slowly came over from the bus stop nearby, moving with trouble. He had a large white bandage on his head. Tony lowered his window. 

“Hi! Can we help you?”

Speaking with obvious difficulty, the man asked, “Is this the bus to take me to Washington Hospital Center? It’s on Irving Street.”

Tony thought for a minute, orienting himself. “No, this bus goes _this_ way.” He pointed to the left. “You want to go _that_ way.” He pointed towards roughly one o’clock, waving his arm in the air. He brightened. “Wait a minute. I have the bus app on my phone. I’ll look it up for you.” He pulled out his smartphone and started punching icons.

Gibbs said quietly, “DiNozzo, the bus doesn’t go from here to there. He’ll have to transfer at least once. He should take a taxi.”

Not looking up, Tony (still trying to get bus information) replied just as quietly, “Yeah, I know, boss. I thought of that. But frankly, he doesn’t look like he can afford the cab fare.” The app was not cooperating, and he swore under his breath, cheerfully adding in a loud voice, “I’ll get it in just a minute!”

Gibbs sighed, counted to three mentally, and gave up. He’d deal with Tony later. He crooked his finger and waved the man over to his side of the car. The man shuffled over to Gibbs’s window, which he quickly rolled down.

“Hi. My name is Gibbs … Jethro Gibbs. What’s your name?”

The man looked suspicious—what did this stranger want to know his name for?—but finally said, “Mike Sullivan.”

“Mike, I’m glad to meet you.” Gibbs put his arm through the open window and shook Mike’s hand. “I’d give you a ride, but it’s the other direction and we have to get to work. Here.” He pressed a folded twenty into the man’s hand. “There’s a taxi stand right on this corner. Next time, call the hospital and they can have someone pick you up.” 

Sullivan shook his head. “No, sir, you don’t have to….” He tried to give the money back, but Gibbs closed Mike’s fist around the bill.

“Yeah, I do. Pay it forward.” Gruffly he added, “It’s your light; you can cross now. Taxis are right there.”

Sullivan said, “Thank you … Jethro. Thank you very much.” He shuffled back across the street toward the taxi stand. Gibbs’ light turned green and he took off.

Tony was uncharacteristically silent. After several minutes, Gibbs turned his head to see if the normally loquacious man was still breathing. Finally Tony said, “I fucked up, Boss. I know it. I just didn’t see the solution. I didn’t follow the thought through to the end.”

Gibbs grunted in agreement.

“But I can learn. Next time I’ll know better.”

“See that you do, DiNozzo.”

END

_Heroes don't look they used to, they look like you do._  
We are Love, We are One,  
We are how we treat each other when the day is done.  
We are Peace, We are War,  
We are how we treat each other and nothing more. 

“Nothing More”, The Alternate Routes

**Author's Note:**

> All the important parts of this story are true. I was Tony—but I can learn. Next time I’ll know better.


End file.
